Committed
by kdzl
Summary: When everyone tells you you're wrong, how committed are you to your ideals? Would you know your own sanity though no one believes you? No pairings. Give it a chance--or not.
1. Chapter 1

**_An/ So, you may not like this, but bear with me. If you don't like confusion, this story may not be for you, but I solemnly vow that it will all make sense in the end. You just have to endure--and hopefully enjoy, the ride. This is a bit out there, but so is fanfiction and I do that, so why not? Thanks SSBAILEY for reading this over for me._**

**_I don't own Criminal Minds._**

* * *

"Patient is showing no signs of progress, even a month after her admission." Dr. Daniel Parker noted to his board of fellow doctors.

"It says in her file that she is suffering from extreme delusions." Dr. Bethany Douglas inquired innocently. "What are they about?"

"She maintains that she was put here as a secret plot against her." Dr. Parker informed as the room chuckled.

"If only that were true every time someone said that." The head doctor at the asylum, Dr. Leo Scott laughed. "Then we would have no patients."

"Her delusions stem from a monomaniac obsession that she has been sent here unjustly." Dr. Parker tried to explain. "She maintains that the BAU of the FBI will come for her."

"Normally patients fear government." Scott smirked. "Why would the patient fantasize about being part of it?"

"Unresolved power issue is my best guess." Dr. Parker answered. "Her file upon admittance said that she had years of cocaine and methamphetamine abuse before being institutionalized, it all could be a break."

"How have her drug tests come out?" Dr. Laura Painter asked, taking notes feverishly. This was a case far from normal and it could make a career if done right.

"She's clean." Parker stated. "But that doesn't mean that she couldn't have gotten in trouble with it before and now it isn't available."

"Patient history?"

"She was sent to the DaVance institution in Cambridge, Massachusetts when she was fifteen because of what the doctors classified as paranoia with signs of schizophrenia, likely brought on by the drug use. She has suffered with delusional thoughts her entire life and her parents decided it was best if they let someone else look after her. However, after several suicide attempts it was decided last month that in order to protect her from herself, she needed to be put in a more secure location."

"Is the patient combative?" Dr. Painter asked again.

"When first admitted she tried to take down a few of the orderlies, but after a few days, it resulted in a mild catatonic state where she no longer speaks when spoken to. She seems to have withdrawn entirely." Dr. Parker said sadly.

"Is there a good prognosis?" Dr. Douglas chimed, knowing what the answer would be.

"I don't foresee any recovery, though I do believe that she could learn to live a semi normal life with proper treatment." Parker said hopefully.

"Medications?" Dr. Painter continued to question.

"Aripiprazole as an antipsychotic and mild Zoloft for her depression was what they had her on in Cambridge, though we have begun a regimen of mild sedatives to keep the patient calm." Parker informed.

"But you said the patient was catatonic?" Painter reminded the group, hoping that Scott would reassign the patient to her care.

"When she was brought in, she broke an orderly's nose and caused another to break his arm. If the patient comes out of her current state, her fury will cause many problems for the staff trying to care for her." Dr. Douglas added.

"That's true. However, I believe that if we take her off the sedatives and vigorously try to reestablish a sense of reality and connection with the world, that we can see some real progress." Dr. Parker pointed out.

"Good work. Take her off the sedatives, we'll see if it helps. Dr. Parker, I want you to continue to oversee her care." Scott said, closing the file marked Jennifer Jareau. The sad truth was that most of the people that stepped through the doors of their institution never had a chance.

* * *

**_An/I know that this prologue is a little different, but still let me know what you think. Thanks for reading!_**


	2. Chapter 2

**_An/Here's chapter two, I hope it brings a little bit more clarity on JJ's confused mind. Enjoy! _**

* * *

"So, Jennifer, how are you feeling today?" Dr. Parker asked kindly as the orderlies placed her carefully in the chair across from him. This woman had a lot of spunk, he hoped that taking her off the sedatives was the right call, but he didn't want to sedate a patient for their entire lives.

"I don't belong here, and it's JJ." The blonde insisted half-heartedly.

"That's what they all say, Jennifer." Parker pointed out. He was not about to allow one of his patients to wallow in her delusion. There were too many people that would allow this woman to live in her own world, and Daniel Parker was not going to be one of them.

"I don't feel like myself." The blonde groaned.

"That is the medication. It should level out in a few days to where you feel absolutely normal." Parker dismissed. Unfortunately, it was too common for patients to discover a way to quit taking their meds, and trying to reestablish a normal baseline was often a tricky road.

"Just let me go home." She pleaded.

"Jennifer, this is your home. And it will be for a very long time unless you start listening to me and let me help you." He pleaded.

"I don't need help." She maintained. "I'm not crazy, I just want my son."

"Jennifer, you don't have a son." He reminded her gently. "You've been under observation for nearly thirteen years." This is how their conversations almost always went, and he wasn't about to allow her the inconsistency of continuing in her fantasies.

"I do too." JJ said stubbornly. "His name is Henry, he is almost one."

"Jennifer, a year ago, you were under the care of Doctor Bradley in Boston." He reminded her as he looked over her file. "You do not have a son."

"A year ago I was pregnant with Henry and at a case in Las Vegas with the team." JJ insisted without vigor.

"Jennifer, we've talked about this. You are not and never have been in the FBI. You didn't even graduate from high school, let alone college." Dr. Parker reminded her firmly.

"I am not crazy." JJ pleaded.

"Jennifer, if you won't let me help you, then we won't make any progress. I think we're done for the day." Doctor Parker said, full of frustration. He loved his patients, and truly wanted them to be able to function in society normally, but if Jennifer kept refuting his attempts to get her to acknowledge the truth; that would be impossible.

As the orderlies took her back to her room, he went straight to the office of his trusted superior. Dr. Scott would have to know what to do in this hopeless case. Daniel felt terrible about it, but he felt like his work with Ms. Jareau was a lost cause.

"Leo, I've had it, I can't work with her anymore." Dr. Parker proclaimed as he let himself into Scott's office.

"With whom Daniel?" Dr. Leo Scott asked kindly without looking up. He was terribly busy looking into Ms. Jareau's lab tests that had all come out clean. There had to be something under the surface that he wasn't seeing.

"Jennifer Jareau." Parker informed, taking a seat across from his aged colleague. "I can't get her to wrap her mind around the fact that she's sick. I know that she's in denial, but Leo, she's been diagnosed for years. She should be coming to terms with it know."

"Maybe her disease won't allow her continue on rationally until after you address the problem that's causing her illness." Leo offered.

"That's a question of nature versus nurture, a question of how people get mental illnesses other than the usual neurotransmitter imbalances." Parker reasoned. "There very well could be no reason why she's delusional."

"But Daniel, her delusion is so constant." Scott reminded him. "There isn't the slightest variation in the story she's telling today than the story she was telling yesterday."

"So?" Parker shrugged.

"Dr. Parker, you're trying to swim against her delusions, why not try swimming with the tide." Scott said, looking up for the first time.

"I don't follow." The younger man said questioningly.

"Try entertaining her delusions, try validating them, then see where they want to lead you." Scott offered, hoping that the sage advice he was giving would fall upon listening ears.

"So you want me to tell her that she's perfectly sane. You want me to lie to her?"

"Not lie to her perse, it's not like you have to believe her, just listen closely to what she says and keep vocal criticism of the account to a minimum. Allow her to say what she is feeling." Leo encouraged hopefully.

"But Leo, if it doesn't work, we will never be able to convince her of the truth. She'll forever think she's sane and then what chance do we have of helping her?"

"In therapy, there are no absolutes." Dr. Scott smiled. "But I've got a good feeling about this girl, I think she can recover."

"You're alone in that." Dr. Parker muttered. "I've never seen anyone so confused."

"She may be confused now, but just wait and see. It's not always the healthiest seed that grows the greatest flower." Scott maintained.

"This is no time for metaphors." Dr. Parker said, trying to understand the surely crazed thinking of his idol. Leo Scott was one of the most respected psychiatrists in the world, and it had been he who had found the very research that had inspired Parker to go into psychology. Working with Leo had been Parker's lifelong dream, but for the first time, he thought Dr. Scott might have taken too many racquetballs to the head.

"It's always the time for metaphors." Leo promised.

"If she has so much promise, why don't you take her? You could help her so much more than I can."

"Because Daniel, your thinking is limited." Leo asserted.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Daniel asked, taken aback.

"It means that you can't pull someone onto higher ground that you aren't standing on." The older man said, smiling wistfully. "You and Ms Jareau are afflicted in one similar way, you are sure that what you're saying is the truth and aren't open to alternatives. You are begging her to change her thought pattern, but you aren't open to altering your own"

"I'm not suffering from delusions, this isn't about me." The younger man snapped.

"But you are being held from being your best self, and that in itself is tragic. Just like Ms. Jareau's illness."

"So now you're likening me to one of our patients?"

"Daniel, I want you to be the best, and in order to be the best, you have to conceive the unconceivable. You have to understand someone's ailment before you can fix it. And in order to understand Ms. Jareau's delusions, you must see them as she does. You must see them as she does. This case has the potential to open your mind, something my friend that you need terribly. Jennifer can help you almost as much as I know you can help her." Scott promised

"So, I'm supposed to go along with her delusions?" Dr. Parker asked, slightly horrified.

"Just until you find they don't work. If they do, which they will…" Leo Scott added, his gut swearing that this was going to turn out well. "You have so much more of a standard to help this woman with."

"I hope you're right." Daniel shrugged in defeat, hoping that he was doing the right thing. It would do great damage if he validated her delusions and then turned around and reminded her of the truth. The ailing mind was terribly fragile; any instability could throw her off of the edge. But he trusted Scott, and knew that if he was going to get anywhere with Ms. Jareau, he would have to walk the unbeaten path. For a man who rarely did things different than text book, this was going to be interesting.

* * *

**_An/ So now we are on our way to finding out more of the truth about what is going on with JJ._**


	3. Chapter 3

**_An/Enjoy!_**

* * *

"Good morning Jennifer." Dr. Parker said as JJ was brought into his office. It was the day where he was going to implement the changes that Scott had told him to, however, he was still more than a little frightened.

"It's JJ." JJ corrected pathetically, as though she wasn't even sure whether to believe it or not.

"Fine, JJ." Parker corrected, though it took everything within him to concede to her insistence. "Why don't you tell me about this BAU?"

"I thought you said that there was no BAU." JJ rebutted her face a mask of uncertainty but a small flicker of hope lighting her eyes.

"What does it hurt to talk about them?" Parker said elusively. "Why don't you tell me about the _people_ you work with?" He suggested, cringing at the suggestion that her fabrication was even remotely tied to reality.

JJ looked at him cautiously, trying to gauge the sincerity of his suggestion. She had been trying to tell him about the BAU for months, but each time he had cut her off and insisted that she needed stronger medication.

Sensing her hesitation, he decided to use an honest approach. "Look, Jenn-JJ." He corrected himself before she could, "I want to help you, so what about a deal? I listen to you, and then you listen to me."

She seemed to ponder his offer with trepidation. Knowing that her pensive abilities were severely limited by the medication and sensing her unease, he started with an easier question. "How long have you worked there?"

"Six years." JJ admitted softly.

"And you have all worked together the whole time?" He said, finding his own line of questioning utterly ridiculous.

"No. We lost a lot of our agents about five years ago in an explosion in Boston." JJ stated, though even as she said it, it seemed slightly ridiculous. "Emily replaced Elle about three years ago, and when Gideon left Rossi took his place." She finished quickly, still unsure whether or not to trust him.

"Interesting." Parker mused aloud. Typically delusions of this strength were not easily replaced and altered. This was definitely not a textbook case.

"So tell me about someone you work with. Just one person. We'll talk about one person each day, how does that sound?" Parker suggested, hoping that this would work. "Who would you like to talk about first?"

JJ paused, unsure of what he would say. Deciding to pick the person that she was least attached to, to protect herself, she stated "Elle. Elle Greenaway."

"Tell me about Elle." Parker suggested kindly.

"Elle was from Brooklyn. She came in from the Seattle Field Office. I thought we were going to get along really well, but-"

"You didn't?" Parker asked, jotting down several notes.

"No. She could be nice, but she was sarcastic and almost rude at times. She always had to do everything her way and..." JJ trailed off.

Parker noted that JJ smacked her lips together slightly only to repeat the action seconds later. _Tardive Dyskinesia. We need to lower her dosages. _He thought, and then prodded her to continue, "What else? Why did she leave?"

"She got shot by an Unsub during a case once. After she came back, she wasn't the same. She ended up leaving the BAU after she was put under investigation for shooting a rapist in cold blood."

"Do you think she killed him in cold blood?" Daniel asked, trying to figure out what a killer part of JJ's delusions meant.

JJ nodded solemnly, trying not to feel guilty for passing judgment on her former colleague. "You could just see it in her. She just _snapped_." JJ said after searching for the right word. "She worked sex crimes before I knew her, and it just seemed like if Elle were going to kill an unsub, it would be who she killed, how she killed him. It was so predictable."

Parker tried to hide his humor in the irony of JJ saying someone snapped, but it was hard. It wasn't often that his patients had the audacity to call others crazy. "And in the same situation, would you have done the same thing?"

JJ shook her head firmly. "My job was to protect the innocent, not punish the guilty."

Parker noted this with care. Elle must have represented to JJ the part of her she would never tap into. While JJ's conscience was driven by moral factors, the delusion of Elle must have meant JJ's thoughts on a higher law of life. Elle must have been JJ's image of independence in her life. Maybe JJ was suffering from a rare form of multiple personality disorder. "Do you miss Elle at all?"

"Well yeah." JJ said deftly. "But I miss everyone, so how would she be any different?"

Parker noted that Elle was not the only aspect of JJ's personality to be leaving her. Apparently his patient was going though an identity crisis of sorts, something not uncommon with delusions. As JJ's mind grew stronger and fought off the personalities that had been ruling JJ's life, she would in turn feel some sense of chaos without them. He would help her find her way eventually, but this was a hard first step that his patient needed to take. "Who is everyone Jenn..JJ?"

"I've told you a thousand times, my team." JJ insisted, feeling as though Parker up to this point hadn't been listening to a word she had said. "They're looking for me, but I'm here and I don't know how they are going to find me."

Parker bit his lip with uncertainty. He knew he was trying to go along with JJ's delusions, but he couldn't actually get her hopes up. While he was all for trying new methods, he wouldn't disappoint her like that. "JJ--"

"No, they are looking for me." JJ maintained angrily, showing more emotion than she had in weeks of observation. But she couldn't allow this man to dash her hopes and make her doubt the truth. She wouldn't stand for that.

"If you say so." Parker retreated weakly. "I think that's enough for today JJ."

* * *

"Leo." Daniel addressed, allowing himself into his mentor's office. "I tried your theory with Ms Jareau today and---"

"Was it a smashing success? I do always like when I'm right." Leo chuckled to himself.

"Well I wouldn't say it was a smashing success..." Daniel replied sheepishly, "But I do think I have uncovered quite a bit about her delusions. It's so interesting, she actually seems to be exhibiting--"

"Did you explain them to her?" Leo interrupted softly.

"Explain them? Why would I do that? She wouldn't understand what's taken such a firm hold of her mind."

"She's not stupid Daniel."

"No, but she is crazy." Daniel retorted.

"What is sanity? Aren't we all a little crazy in some way?" Seeing that his protege was not comprehending his vision, he tried to explain more clearly. "Jennifer Jareau is a confused woman. But that doesn't mean that she doesn't deserve to know what is going on with her. Like a passanger on a ship, the journey is much more beautiful if you know the destination. If the destination is unclear, the passanger worries that the captain might not know where he's going. You need to let her know that she can trust you as her captain."

"Who gets on a ship not knowing where its going?" Daniel muttered, then seeing Leo's amused expression, conceeded. "So you want me to tell her she's not crazy, then explain that she's just crazy?" He queried.

Leo chuckled, "Well, I guess that is the jist of it, but it is much simpler than that. Offer her an alternate explanation. Listen. Too often in this practice we see our patients as statistics and objects, rather than as sons and daughters of people just like us. Our patients have as much right to know what is going on with their treatment as an injured athlete going through rehabilitation. Help Jennifer see the progress she is making daily, and let her mark the way of the journey."

Daniel contemplated the advice with intensity. Finally, realizing that it had been moments since he had last spoken, asked "Do you give this type of advice to Laura? What about Beth?"

"They don't ask." Leo smiled. "You do."

"I just hope you're right about all of this." Daniel said shaking his head.

"Daniel, you wouldn't be here asking for my opinion if you didn't already know I was right." Leo said smiling.

* * *

**_An/ To be entirely honest, this is one of my favorite stories I am working on right now. I hope you agree, but even if you don't, I still love it. Reviews are works of art that I highly appreciate. Thanks for everything!_**


	4. Chapter 4

**_AN-I know, this story is different. Some of you may be anxiously waiting to figure out what's going on, and I have PURPOSEFULLY tried to keep it confusing. However, if you are REALLY confused, drop me a review or a PM and ask me. Here's the questions that it comes down to, is JJ really crazy? Is the BAU made up in her mind? Or is something else going on? If so, what?_**

**_Thanks to everybody that's reviewed, I'm glad you like the story, because it's one of my favorites._**

* * *

"Hey Beth." Dr. Laura Painter asked as she opened her friend's door. "Can I see you for a sec?"

"Sure." Dr. Bethany Douglas said with her usual callousness.

"Are you still seeing that guy?" Laura inquired immediately, noticing the large bouquet of flowers on Beth's desk.

"Yeah I am. Things are moving right along." Beth deflected. "What can I do for you?"

"Did you hear Daniel is taking the Jareau girl off of her meds? I was just wondering your opinion because Leo seems to be encouraging him and it just seems like the wrong thing." Laura informed, appealing to the one person who always told her what she wanted to hear.

"The medications that are helping her step out of the delusions?" Beth said abruptly, using a tone in her voice that Laura had never heard before.

"I know, it seems that she's developed an adverse reaction to them, and I couldn't help but notice that she's made marked improvement since she's arrived here, it just seems like such a bad move." Laura admitted.

Beth's stunned expression registered with Laura for only a moment before the other woman spoke again, "Well Laura, you are an Associate Director of this hospital. You could override Daniel's decision, but only if you _really_ think it's best for the patient."

"True." Laura's pride at having her ego slightly stroked caused her to miss entirely Beth's relieved expression at her agreement. "But what if Leo gets involved? Daniel's like his little pet, its disgusting."

"I mean, it is your job to protect our patients and I don't want to see this woman lose her way because Daniel thinks he's making history. I know this sounds like I'm doubting Daniel's intentions, which you know I would never do, but I just can't help but think that maybe he's chasing after glory some how." Beth said, hiding the ice in her tone.

"You're right, I do need to look out for all of our patients." Laura mused, a slight smirk on her face.

Beth couldn't hide her own grateful smile at the knowledge that Laura was in control of the situation. Deciding to enlist her colleague further, she added, "You know, I also have noticed how Ms. Jareau continues to provoke other patients. I think she needs to be monitored more closely."

"What do you mean?" Laura asked quickly.

"Ever since Daniel took her off the sedatives, I've noticed how caustic she has become. I am certain that she is a danger to herself and those around her, I just think she needs to be supervised more closely."

"Like restrained?" Laura queried, "we hardly do that anymore unless the patient is a real immediate danger to themselves."

"Oh, I know that." Beth dismissed, "I just hope that Daniel hasn't grown so attached to her as to believe her delusions or to not protect her from herself if the time comes." Beth replied quickly.

"So, do you think I need to be sitting in on his sessions with her? I mean, for her own protection." Laura asked, semi-excitedly. This case could be career-making for the right doctor, and Daniel Parker was definitely _not_ the right doctor.

"Well, I'm sure it couldn't hurt. You'd just need to get around Leo's overprotective tendencies for his wonder-kin." Beth said, full of anger towards the young doctor that was making such great strides in the psychiatric world.

"Maybe I'll wait until she at least lashes out. I would hate to disrupt her treatment if it _is_ in fact, working." Laura mused, knowing that she couldn't infringe unless it was in the best interest of the patient. As much as she wanted to get involved, she knew she shouldn't.

"Whatever you think is best." Beth said, masking her disappointment.

* * *

"Good morning, JJ." Daniel said, the preferred nickname rolling off his tongue. Normally not one to indulge his patients, he couldn't help but beam with pride at the marked improvement the blonde had been making. He had shared his view on how her delusions contributed to her own separate distinctions of her own psyche, and though she hadn't said anything, he could tell she was beginning to question her own conviction in her story.

"Morning Dr. Parker." JJ said with a light smile. Ever since being taken off of the sedatives, she was feeling her mind to be much clearer.

"How are you feeling today?" He asked, his voice full of concern. He was sure hoping that he had done the right thing by taking her off of the sedatives. He was looking out for her best interest, he just hoped that he was acting in it.

"Good as ever." JJ shrugged, unsure of how to explain herself. She was starting to find that happiness and despair had a thin line between them, and if you never crossed it, you never knew how you were doing.

JJ squirmed beneath his glare as he remained silent, prodding her to continue. "But, Dr. Parker, I do have a question for you."

"Go ahead." He stated.

"I've been thinking a lot about our last session." She admitted as he tried to contain his surge of pride at her admission. "Do you really think I made them all up?" She asked quietly, the meek question would have broken his heart if he hadn't known that her progress was continuing in leaps and bounds. Questioning her delusions, doubting their reality, that was a major step.

"I do." He said, watching as she struggled to peace together whether or not she agreed with him. "I know we haven't talked about everyone you _work_ with, but we didn't discuss it in full detail did we?" He asked as she shook her head sadly in response.

"We talked last time about what Elle would represent to you. Right?" JJ nodded silently as Daniel continued.

"Well this Agent Rossi could be your drive for success, but also your willingness to step on others in order to get what you want. This is a very basic need, some refer to this as the id, desiring only the things you want and not caring who falls in your path to success. This Jason Gideon, however represented your desire for the welfare of others, constantly being detached from the other aspects of this _pseudo family._"He emphasized the last two words so that she would not mistakenly believe that he was encouraging her delusions.

"But what about Hotch, or Emily?" JJ queried. Silently soaking in the information.

"We talked about this, but Aaron Hotchner would represent your desire for a family life, true loyalty that was unquestioned, but the inability to keep that life intact. Diverting your feelings of failure for not having your own family, and not seeing your own family in years, Aaron Hotchner represents that part of your subconscious that can't reconcile that fact, though it deeply wants to. Emily Prentiss is the sophistication that you wish you had in your own life, but also exhibits the awkwardness in interpersonal relationships created from joining a tight group. The part of you that feels like an outsider, like you don't belong, but that you are meant for greater things than you are currently achieving is Emily Prentiss." He stated as she sat there silently. He knew Jennifer Jareau well enough to know that she was soaking in this new revelation, and that in the quiet moments she had alone, she would likely analyze and view his theory from as many viewpoints as she could. Try as she might to refute the truth, he knew she eventually would come to it as well.

After allowing her a moment to contemplate his analysis, he prodded further. Although Jennifer had made great strides, there was still a long way to go. "Why don't you tell me about Derek Morgan?" He suggested after looking at his notes. After revealing each of the names of those she professed to work with, they had systematically discussed each one. In the beginning, he had attempted to delve into those aspects of her subconscious that he could tell were most precious to her. Finding his inquiries futile, they had systematically moved from the outside in, all the while knowing that true progress wouldn't start until they could talk about the most treasured delusions.

"Derek..." JJ mused, smiling slightly, "is like the brother I never wanted but always had."

"But you don't have any brothers." Daniel pointed out, before reproving himself slightly. He struggled to not correct her every time she referred to her fractured state as reality, and sometimes he slipped.

"I do." JJ insisted, not nearly as strongly as she used to. "Two brothers, David and Ben."

"Ok." Daniel dismissed without argument. "Go on."

"He was the typical _stud._Every girl would throw themselves at him, and while he would always pretend to be a player, deep down, he was a really good guy." JJ explained. It didn't escape Daniel's attention that JJ had begun to refer to those she supposedly "had contact with" in the past tense. He noted this new development in her progression. In discussing those members that had left the "BAU", it wasn't really an issue, but now she was talking about her fantasies as though they were in the past. This was a good development.

* * *

Daniel fluttered around his desk, tidying up loose ends before he went home to his wife and kids for the weekend. The last hour at work on a Friday afternoon always pained him, as he was eager to find his way home but he still had his responsibilities. Finally realizing that he had nothing left to do, he sat down in his desk, waiting for the last moments of his workday to pass him by.

He didn't know what got into him, whether it was shear curiosity or a deeper knowledge of the truth but he suddenly was pricked by the strangest urge. He knew that Jennifer's delusions were false, but he couldn't stop himself from finding his favorite search engine and typing the name _Derek Morgan._

Instantly there were several links provided, clicking on the first, he saw a picture of a smug looking black man with the caption that read _"Chicago Man Solves Twenty Year Old Crime", _scrolling down, he tried to soak in some knowledge of this true to life man.

_Chicago's own Derek Morgan, an Agent with the Behavioral Analysis Unit of the Federal Bureau of Investigation found the killer to the murder of a 13 year old boy...._

Growing even more curious, he typed in another name. _Jennifer Jareau. _Just as he clicked enter, a loud knock came on the door before it opened.

"Dr. Parker, there's been a disturbance." An orderly announced. "Your patient, the blonde one, she attacked Dr. Douglas."

"What? But JJ's delusions usually lead her to a more passive route..." Daniel reasoned.

"All I know is that Douglas has a fat lip and blondie is threatening to show her a new one. She said something about wanting her son back." The orderly informed, shrugging his shoulders as Daniel got up from his desk and began to walk to JJ's room. "We had to sedate her, trying to calm her down, but she was still livid, so Dr. Douglas ordered full restraints until you could talk to her."

"How long ago was this?" Daniel asked angrily.

"About an hour ago." The orderly admitted sheepishly, knowing that policy dictated that Dr. Parker should have been informed immediately, "but she made us clean up the mess blondie made when she began throwing things around the eating area before I could come get you."

"JJ, what is going on with you?" He muttered under his breath, starting to think that maybe something far darker was going on. Though he wasn't sure what it was, he knew he was going to find out.

* * *

**_AN 2--So...there you have it, and now you may wait in anticipation for the next chapter!_**


	5. Chapter 5

**_AN- I'm sure many of you have been wondering where the team is in all of this, unless JJ is, in fact, crazy. I will now go out on a ledge here and say that JJ is NOT crazy, and I hope this chapter answers some of your questions. _**

* * *

Daniel's heart nearly broke for the shell of the woman, sitting in the small padded room with her arms securely fastened by the dreaded camisole. Dr. Parker hated some aspects of his job, and the physical treatment of some patients was deplorable. Luckily his current place of employment was far more caring of the mentally ill than other places that colleagues had warned him of, but the idea of physical restraints had never been one that Daniel had felt very comfortable with.

"Jennifer, what happened?" He asked softly.

"It's JJ." She muttered softly, the drugs in her system obviously having taken effect evidenced by the slur to her words.

"JJ." He conceded quickly, pressing her for details. "What on earth happened?"

"She was talking to him." She said quietly. "Right in front of me, she was talking to him."

"Who?" He asked, unsure of what was causing such a strong reaction from the usually calm patient.

"Will." She said icily, her eyes beginning to water involuntarily. "She told him to give Henry a kiss for her."

"JJ, Will isn't real." He tried to convince her. "That's just Beth's boyfriend's name. Its a coincidence, that's all."

"No it isn't." She said weakly. "He has to be real. If he isn't real than Henry isn't real."

"Henry isn't real, JJ." Daniel said softly. "Beth's boyfriend had a son from a previous relationship, again, its just a coincidence. He isn't even from around here."

"Of course he isn't." JJ informed. "He's from New Orleans."

_"Alright, that's wierd. She's paranoid and delusional, don't let her convince you otherwise. She probably overheard the conversation when she first came here and is formulating fantasies based off of Beth's life. Don't let her convince you otherwise." _He cleared his throat. "JJ, I thought we were past this."

"We were." She sighed. "But Dr. Parker, they feel real. I feel as though I've seen my son more clearly than I'm with you now. I can't explain it, it just feels real. It's real." She said the last part with such conviction that he wasn't sure if she were trying to persuade him or herself.

"Would you listen to yourself?" He pleaded, hoping to finally get through to her. "You're saying that the very delusion that you are suffering from, a delusion that has been documented for years, is all some fabrication of a well respected psychiatrist. JJ, please. We have to get a handle on this. You have to realize that this fabrication of your mind is _not_ reality. It's a _fantasy._"

Tears poured down the blonde woman's cheeks as she nodded slowly. "Okay." She admitted in a small voice.

"Let's get you back to your room for the night, okay?" He asked, motioning for the orderly to remove his patient from the restraining device. Hopefully JJ was soon on the road to recovery.

* * *

"Mama, do you have that file from the Bartlett case in Mississippi?" Morgan asked quickly as he stepped into the room.

"No, I got off task for a minute. Sorry." She said, instantly clicking to close the screen she was on. She cringed as she knew that he saw it before it shut down. She turned around, preparing for the discussion she hated having. It seemed to be a familiar conversation that she had with multiple members of the team. Several times a day, actually.

"Oh my, baby girl, you weren't!" Morgan accused, filling slightly with anger.

Garcia looked at him guitily, looking for an alternate argument. She should be an expert by now, she mused silently. "So what if I was?" She said defiantly, hoping to discourage him from continue.

She knew she wasn't going to be so lucky when he responded shortly, "She left, there's no point in looking for her. Even if she wanted to be found, she doesn't deserve it."

"JJ just wouldn't leave her child." Garcia insisted softly, tears swelling within her eyes. "She wouldn't do that. Not to Henry, and not to me."

"She's gone. She left. She turned her back just like Gideon and you need to let go." Morgan tried for the millionth time. He knew that JJ had been Garcia's best friend, but the blonde woman didn't deserve this loyalty, not after what she did. Not after she willingly abandoned her own son.

"There has to be a reason. I have to believe she's out there and she needs me." Garcia countered, hoping that her chocolate chunk would just try to understand.

"Baby, she's gone. She's worse than Gideon." He said shrilly. "She didn't just leave us, she left her son and Will too. Don't spend your precious time worrying about her when I can guarantee she hasn't had a second thought about leaving you."

"JJ wouldn't just do that." Garcia said firmly. "I know her better---"

"_knew. _You knew JJ. You _were_ JJ's best friend. She _was_ Henry's mother. All of that is in the past now. But she isn't JJ anymore, she's someone else. Someone who would just pick up and leave without a word to anyone." Morgan said, knowing that this was cutting his friend deep but he pushed to continue. He was doing her a favor in the end, helping her shut the book on Jennifer Jareau. Everyone else, while it had been hard, had been able to and he just wanted Garcia to live her life and not be looking for ghosts. "I think if you saw JJ again, you would realize that the person you are holding out for doesn't exist anymore. Maybe she never did."

"Don't you dare say that!" She countered.

"JJ lost all right to my loyalty the minute she walked out her own front door leaving behind only a stupid, '_I'm sorry, I can't do this anymore'_ Note!" Morgan exclaimed, quoting the familiar line.

Garcia breathed in deeply, and stared at him directly, pleading with him to understand. "JJ _is_ my best friend and she is out there. She wouldn't leave her son. I feel it, she's in trouble and she needs me and I'm going to be there for her damn it. I don't care if you guys are going to help me or fight me every step of the way but I'm not giving up on her. At least not until I know she's okay."

"You're setting yourself up for failure. You know that, right?" Morgan muttered, relenting as he usually did when it came to this conversation. He knew that the rest of the team agreed with him. JJ had abandoned them all, and even if she came to them and tried to explain, it would be far too little, far too late.

"Does it matter?" She countered softly. "If in the end I'm wrong, at least I tried. And here's your stupid information." She handed him the file he had been originally searching for. She was not about to give up the search for her friend. No matter what anyone else said. She would find her.

* * *

**_AN/So, please let me know what you think!_**


	6. Chapter 6

**_AN/Sorry for the delay, but I just got stuck with having so much to put in this chapter, and getting distracted with other stories. But, I hope you like it. Thanks to Brynnifer for spurring me to finally update the story._**

**_And I still don't own Criminal Minds, though you would know if I did._**

* * *

"Good Morning, Jennifer." Dr. Leo Scott greeted the blonde brightly.

"Its JJ." She muttered half-heartedly, but her countanence sparkled a little bit more than it had earlier. JJ compartamentalized her life carefully, Leo and Daniel she could trust, the other doctors she shut out. She continued to shovel around her oatmeal, not bothering to take a bite.

"I'm sorry." He said genuinely and smiled. "Good Morning JJ. How is the bacon today? I think it looks absolutely delightful." He chuckled at this thought, the last thing he needed was any more red meat in his diet. "I would steal some but I think my cardiologist would have his own heart attack."

"You can have mine." She offered. "I'm not going to eat it." She continued to sift through her breakfast, having no urge to partake.

"You should eat it." He informed, looking her over and not liking what he saw. Wieght loss like JJ's was typical for someone who was new to an institution, but for being committed her entire life, this was out of the ordinary.

"Too much grease." She scrunched her nose in disgust. "I don't think I eat grease." To be honest, she had no idea if she ate it or not. The JJ she thought she was surely wouldn't eat it, but because that wasn't her, she hadn't a clue what her diet entailed. It was hard realizing that she had never known herself for who she was, she knew that Dr. Parker and Dr. Scott were trying to help her get better, but part of her would have rather stayed delusional. At least that self she understood.

"I hope you know that Dr. Douglas is doing much better." He said kindly. "You did no permanant damage." He couldn't help but laugh at the grimace that overtook the young woman's face. Leaning down closer to her so that none of the others could hear, he whisperd softly "But her nose now looks a little off center."

"Good." She muttered shyly, purposefully not indicating to which statment she was referring.

"While it may not seem it, Beth _is_ trying to help you get better." Leo reasoned. "We all are. Similar to a football team, we all have our different approaches, we just go about it in different ways."

JJ shrugged in response, not feeling much in the mood for analogies. "It seems like Dr. Painter only wants to speak with me so that she can use it in the book that all the patients know she's trying to write."

Leo chuckled. "Some of us have a bigger appreciation for the allure of fame than others. Laura definitely knows how to enjoy being well known."

"Some people are more stuck up than others, too." JJ said, not changing her opinion of the ambitious doctor.

"True." Leo chortled. He couldn't help but like this spunky woman, and he wasn't about to enjoy the news he had to break to her. "But I'm afraid you're going to be seeing more of doctor Painter in your daily life."

At JJ's questioning glance, he continued, "After your..._escapade_...Laura decided that she is going to oversee your care."

"So what does that mean?" JJ asked, still confused. If she had to spend time alone with the condescending woman, she really _would_ go crazy.

"Unfortunately, though I run this hospital, Laura is over patient care. That means that she can override any decision I make with regards to patient's daily life. I, however, have insisted that Daniel stay on as your primary care physician, so she will just sit in on your sessions, but other than that it shouldn't be much different.

"Whatever." JJ dismissed, though Leo could genuinely tell that she was apprehensive.

Something was not right with this situation, and he was determined to get to the bottom of it.

* * *

Garcia walked around the corner to the coffee maker. She had been up all night, and desperately needed some liquid to jump start her worn down motor. Seeing her beloved Dr. Reid sipping his sugared brew, she plopped down next to him.

"Hi Reid, what's up?" She asked brightly.

"Nothing." He muttered. For the first time, she noticed the dark circles under his eyes and the downcast look on his face. Ever since JJ left, nothing had really been the same.

"Reid, you're just going to have to get over it." Garcia heard Emily call from around the corner. The brunette quickly joined their table.

"Get over what?" Garcia asked obliviously. She hadn't had much interaction with the others since her entire free time was usually spent in search of her blonde friend.

"JJ." Emily said, almost spitting out the name in disgust. "Reid, even Will is moving on. I'm watching Henry tonight while he goes on a date."

"A date? But it's only been--" Garcia said in surprise. Unfortunately, she had also slightly neglected her godmother duties in leu of her search, and Emily had grown very close to young Henry and JJ's former boyfriend.

"It's been long enough." Emily said with finality. "I'm glad he's moving on. Henry deserves to have a mother that _loves him._"

"JJ does love Henry." Garcia insisted just as firmly.

"If she did, then why did she leave?" Reid asked quietly.

_Good question._ Garcia thought.

* * *

Leo Scott sat in his office confused. Something was _definitely_ not right with Jennifer Jareau--it just didn't add up.

First of all, the woman seemed far more lucid _off_ her medication than she was _on_ it. There could be a number of reasons for this, but he just had a feeling. Secondly, she continued to exhibit traits that a woman who had spent most of her life in institutions would have already become accustomed to.

Nibbling on a piece of bacon that he had stolen from the meal room, he fired up his computer. Years of practicing psychiatry had not lead Leo to become very computer savy, and he usually avoided using the contraption at all costs. But this seemed prudent, and like popping a zit, sometimes you had to do things that were painful.

Clicking on the internet, he stared obliviously into the screen. Slowly typing JJ's name into a search engine, he was fairly certain he wouldn't get anything, but he had to try. At first, countless names came up with phone numbers. Deciding to try again, he added _FBI_ onto the request.

Shocked at the amount of results for "Jennifer Jareau, FBI" he clicked on one, certain that it had to be a coincidence, but persistant in case it wasn't.

When he saw the picture of the blonde that he had grown familiar with, his eyes widened in surprise. _I have to go help her!_ He thought.

He reached for the phone to call Daniel, only to be shot down with a sharp pain run through his arm. Suddenly, the world stopped spinning as he tried to clutch his failing heart.

He collapsed slowly in his chair, watching conciousness fade from him as he--in a final act of calling for help--pushed a few numbers on his speed dial, hoping that they would figure out what was happening.

A few moments later, Beth and Daniel both knocked tenatively on his office door, unsure of why they both recieved a call from Leo without having him speak to them.

Daniel tentatively opened the door, and was shocked to discover Leo now lying on the floor, clutching his heart and breathing slowly.

"Beth! Call 911" Daniel instructed as he raced to Leo's side. Being a doctor had its advantages as Daniel quickly began checking his pulse and attempting to stabilize his heart.

Beth ran toward the desk, grabbing the phone and quickly dialing 911. In the excitement, neither man noticed her surprised look as she saw the internet search page. Quietly continuing to inform the situation, she worldessly turned off the computer, realizing how dangerously close she had been to being discovered.

"Leo, it's going to be okay." Daniel assured him, then noticing the piece of bacon on the desk, Daniel couldn't help but smile. Even Leo had his weaknesses.

"Daniel--" Leo tried to pull off the oxygen mask that Daniel had affixed to his face.

"Ssshh, don't try to talk." Daniel instructed firmly.

"Daniel--question everything. It's all a lie--" Leo gasped desperately trying to convey his message.

"Okay." Daniel said quickly, trying to discourage Leo from speaking as the paramedics raced into the room.

"Promise." Leo commanded.

"I promise." Daniel said, completely unsure as to why Leo's possible dying words were so important.

But he was certain of one thing--if that's what Leo wanted, that's what he would do.

* * *

**_AN/ So, let me know what you think! I hope you're still enjoying the story as much as I am._**


	7. Chapter 7

**_AN/Sorry, it's taken me a while to get this chapter out. But, oh well :) Hope you still like it, and if not, I don't really care, because I do._**

**_Oh, and I still don't own Criminal Minds._**

* * *

"Daniel, although Leo is out of commission right now, and I am currently running this hospital, I will respect his wishes." Laura said with an air of authority that made Daniel want to roll his eyes.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"I will allow you to remain as Ms. Jareau's primary care doctor, however, I still do want to oversee her treatment options." Laura informed him.

"Great." Daniel said, attempting _not _to groan. "But JJ's schedule is pretty structured, so she should be coming in in a few minutes."

"Sounds fine to me." Laura said nonchalantly, sitting down and pulling her clipboard closer to her. "Bring her in when you're ready."

"Laura, I don't know if this is a great idea." Daniel began to explain. "She is very particular about who she trusts and I don't want the bond between her and I broken because of office politics." He said delicately, thought he was more tempted to shout.

"Daniel," Laura rebutted. "This is more than office politics. You are making some radical moves with Ms. Jareau and I just wanted to ensure that they were in her best interest. I will try to not intervene as much as possible but I must look out for the best interest of the patient."

"And you think that I'm not looking out for her best interest?" Dr. Parker asked, a little offended at the woman's insinuations.

"I think that this is an awfully ambitious case you are looking over and I don't want you blinded to the needs of Ms. Jareau." She insisted. "I don't want this to become too much glory for you and for you to lose sight of where the real priorities lie."

"Like you do?" He retorted shortly, his eyes meeting her death glare.

"Care to rethink that statement since I now hold your career at this institution in the palm of my hand?" She countered. "Would you like to stay as the primary doctor or not?" Part of her was slightly agitated that Beth had that morning off. Luckily, she would be in later today, but her support would have been appreciated in confronting Daniel.

"You know the answer to that." Daniel muttered. "I'm just worried for the sake of the progress Leo and I had made on JJ."

"_Ms. Jareau _will be just fine." Laura stated, emphasizing her distain for Daniel's reffering to the patient as JJ.

Suddenly the door opened, cutting off Daniel's retort. "Good morning JJ." Daniel tried to smile as JJ was deposited in her usual chair.

"Good morning Dr. Parker."

"Good morning, _Jennifer._" Laura emphasized, throwing a pointed glare at the younger psychiatrist.

"Hmm." JJ barely acknowledged the other woman's presence.

"So, Jennifer." Daniel conceded, not willing to incur Dr. Painter's wrath. He shot JJ a look of sympathy, and continued, "We said today that we were going to talk about Spencer Reid and Penelope Garcia."

"With her?" JJ said, looking over at Dr. Painter. "I don't want to."

Laura put her hand to her chest in offense, but she pushed on. Daniel had been babying this patient and she wasn't about to. "Jennifer, tell us about the Spencer Reid voice and the Penelope Garcia voice." She said sternly.

"No." JJ said defiantly.

"Then I believe this session is complete and I'm afraid we're going to have to place her on stronger medication." Laura said firmly to Daniel as though JJ weren't in the room.

"Fine." JJ grumbled, hating the woman with a growing passion as each moment passed. "What do you want to know?"

"Let's start with Spencer Reid, tell me about him." Daniel said softly, hoping to diffuse the tense situation between the two women in the room.

"Spencer is the most loyal person I know."

* * *

Spencer Reid smiled as he walked up the steps to the familiar home. He had been to JJ's home several times before her _departure_and he was somewhat excited to babysit his godson. He was going to meet the woman Will had started to date, and though his heart ached for JJ's son, he couldn't help but feel bitter that she would just leave them.

_Henry deserves better. _He thought.

Little did Spencer Reid know that at that exact moment, JJ was speaking so highly of him.

"Hey Spencer." Will said smiling as he opened the door.

"Hi." Reid waved slightly, he had never been sure of how to greet his godson's father.

"Thanks for watching him, Beth really wants to meet you." Will said as another woman came around the corner, "speak of the devil, here she is. Reid, this is Beth."

"Hi." Reid again waved awkwardly at the woman who he assumed would soon be a permanent figure in Henry's life.

"I've heard so much about you." Beth gushed and Reid smiled at her warmth, even if it seemed a little forced.

_Henry definitely deserves a mother who loves him. _Reid mused to himself, hoping that Beth could fill the role that JJ had abandoned so easily. He was trying to be polite to the woman that he couldn't help but feel like was trying to take JJ's place. _Not that she deserves it anymore anyway._

"It's so nice to meet Will and Henry's support system here in Virginia." Beth continued, smiling. "I've met Emily, and I have a feeling that she and I will become fast friends."

And for Reid, that solidified it. If Emily liked this woman, than he would too.

Because Will deserved to be happy.

* * *

"Now what about this Penelope Garcia." Laura pushed, disinterested by JJ's long explanation of some traumatic event with dogs.

"No." JJ said sternly.

"JJ, why don't we talk about Penelope?" Daniel said soothingly. "It's very common to want to hold onto delusions even after we no that they are fabricated."

"But they're so real." JJ said with much less passion than Daniel was used to.

Deciding that it was either now or never to try Leo's distressed insistence, regardless of the consequences to his career, he prodded, "why do you think they're so real?"

"Because she was the one who made them up!" Laura said, completely horrified that Daniel was playing into this woman's delusions. He could cause irreparable damage to her psyche that no world renown psychiatrist could mend. "Dr. Parker, I really do not believe that this is the correct--"

"JJ, why do you think they're so real?" He asked, certain that there had to be another reason that she was so consistent in her fabrication.

"Because I made them up." JJ said, her voice so small that he could barely strain to hear her.

Laura sat smugly back in her chair. Real progress from a real patient. There was nothing better than that. Quickly jotting down a few notes to her collection, she continued to press the patient. "Now, Ms. Jareau, tell me about Penelope Garcia."

"She was my son's godmother. The best friend in the world. She loved Henry." Daniel's heart felt as though it were breaking for the blonde in the chair. He knew that she needed help, but admitting the fact that her delusions weren't real seemed to be tearing her up.

It just didn't add up.

It just didn't seem right.

And Leo's insistence that he question everything made him cautious.

Suddenly, a thought sprung to his mind that he normally would have shot down immediately. But nothing about this case was normal.

"JJ, maybe they _are_ real. Have you ever thought of that?" Daniel asked, slightly horrified that he himself was making this insinuation. "Hold on for just a moment--" He said as he rushed over to his computer. He should have done this in the beginning. He should have at least _checked_to see if JJ could possibly be telling the truth.

But this made sense. Far more sense than this woman completely forgetting _years_ of institutionalized behavior. He felt like some Conspiracy Theorist, but he just had to be sure.

"Dr. Parker! Please desist." Laura said with authority as she stood to face him. "I will not allow you to indulge this patient just to further your own career. You will stop this instant or I will have you removed from the building. Your employment here is no longer wanted."

"Blow off, Laura." Daniel said, uncharacteristically emboldened by the horrific thought that he could have been a pawn in someone's brilliant chess match. "I just have to check this first--"

But Daniel's efforts were in vain as two strong orderlies had been summoned from outside the door grabbed him and took him out of the room. JJ had rushed to help him and a third orderly stopped her quickly.

"Put her in seclusion. Use restraints." Laura instructed as she began to leave the room.

"Like what?" The orderly asked. He was new and not used to the lax instructions by psychiatrists.

Glancing back, Laura realized that this man had only been working there for a few months. "Use a straight-jacket for all I care. Just keep her safe until I can get back to deal with this mess." Laura instructed the third orderly as she followed the group escorting Dr. Parker off the hospital grounds.

* * *

Laura Painter had never considered herself an ambitious woman. She just tended to be in the right places at the right times. She was a woman who knew how to take advantage of a good situation when it was placed in front of her. Jennifer Jareau just might be the case that she needed to step one rung higher on the ladder towards her climb for world renown. She was certain that Daniel had compromised himself with the patient, and almost felt bad for the tragic demise that his career now faced. Almost.

Walking quickly into the locked room where the hospital stored medications, she was certain that with the right combination of anti-psychotics, she just might be able to help Ms. Jareau return to society to be able to function normally. She could almost see the headlines in Journal Articles everywhere. She would be quoted for years to come. But first, she had to get Ms. Jareau better, and that wasn't going to be very easy.

Stepping behind a large shelf, she bent down to the lowest shelf to inspect what possible medical combinations she could make when the solid door opened and closed on the other side of the room. Initially tempted to reveal herself, she decided to hang back in favor of the possible gossip she could uncover.

"Yeah, I had a great time today too." She heard the familiar voice of her colleague who she assumed was on the phone. Laura was ecstatic to hear that it was Beth who she was eavesdropping on. Beth was one of the most private people she knew.

"Everything's going fine here. But I'm worried that Henry's godmother doesn't like me." Beth continued. She knew Laura was dating a man with a son, but this relationship seemed like it was far more serious than Beth had let on.

"No, no. It will be fine. Who cares if Penelope Garcia likes me? Her trolls? All of the rest of her old friends like me, and that's enough. Besides, I know I've at least got Reid wrapped around my little finger." Beth chuckled as Laura's mind went into overdrive. _She couldn't possibly have just said what I thought she said. Reid? Penelope Garcia? This is all too close._

"I know." Beth continued, "I was surprised that they believed it, too. But they haven't even been looking for her." Beth practically giggled with glee.

All of Laura's rationalization could have worked. If not for Beth's final statement, "And we don't have to worry. Now that Leo's gone, I'm certain that Jennifer Jareau will never leave this place. Now you and I can be together, without Henry's mother in the way."

Sickened by what she believed to be the most disturbing thing she had ever heard of, Laura was in no way prepared for Beth's last statement. "I love you Will." Hearing the phone bleep that the conversation had ended, Laura distinctly heard Beth say, "And now, Jennifer Jareau, I have your life. You didn't deserve it anyway."


	8. Chapter 8

**_AN/_****_Oh, I still don't own Criminal Minds. In case you were wondering._**

* * *

Laura felt as though she were going to be sick. She had always heard people say that she was ambitious, but she now felt utterly disgusted with herself. She had ruined a young woman's life. Thinking of all of the possible side effects that being institutionalized would have on the blonde in the secluded room. For a brief moment, she considered allowing this facade to go on--it could help her career. As quickly as it came, she shut the thought out. She may be ambitious, but she wasn't cruel.

But what should she do?

She had to tell someone, she had to get the blonde out of here, but how? Beth was in charge of Admissions and Discharges from the Institution. How could she get the blonde out?

Was there any way to get the blonde out without anyone ever noticing?

Was there any way to do it without ruining her career?

And in that moment, Laura decided that there might possibly be something more important that her career. It wasn't a decision she was used to, particularly because she had done almost anything imaginable to further her career that would soon be non-existant.

Picking up her phone, she did the thing that had fled from her so long...the right thing.

* * *

"Penelope Garcia." The Tech Analyst said dispassionately, her computer sifting through information for a case that was far from capturing her interest.

"Parkview Sanitarium." The voice on the other line whispered. It was a woman's voice, though Garcia could tell she was trying to disguise it. "There is a patient you should look into."

"Who is this?" Garcia asked loudly, although not failing to grab a post it and write down the information.

"Look into Jennifer Jareau." The voice pressed, not answering the question.

"Jennifer Jareau?" Garcia muttered to herself. "Seriously Lady, if this is some sick joke than you can kiss my--"

"Its not a joke." The voice interrupted reassuringly. "I swear you won't be sorry for listening to this."

"Who is this?" Garcia asked again, her words quickly followed by the clicking of the other side of the line. Garcia knew her friends would kick her for doing this, but she couldn't have a lead and not listen to it. She couldn't give up hope, not yet anyway. So quietly typing in the information, knowing that this was practical treason where the rest of the team was concerned, she clicked to see what Parkview Sanitarium really had to offer.

* * *

"I've found her." Garcia said, slamming the door to the the confrence room wide open. "Its taken forever but I found her."

"Garcia, I've warned you, we are not having this conversation again." Hotch stated firmly, not willing to entertain this foolishness.

"But sir--" Garcia said sadly. "Its real this time, I really have--"

"That's enough." Hotch insisted.

"So you won't even listen?" Garcia said, spinning on her heels.

"Where do you think you are going?" Hotch asked seriously.

"If you aren't going to look for her I am. I know where she is and damn it, I'm going to help her." Garcia spat persistently.

"Garcia..." Hotch began evenly, "You walk out that door and you're..."

"What? Fired?" Garcia scoffed insistently. "Its worth so much more than that."

"Baby Girl, I know you miss her, but she left on her own free will." Morgan pleaded. "Why would you want to find her?"

"She didn't leave on her own free will." Garcia tried to persuade, though as the months before, no one seemed to listen. "There's evidence now that she couldn't have left on her own."

"Garcia, is at all possible that you believe that there's evidence because you want to? I just think that maybe--" Emily tried to reason, but was sharply interrupted as Garcia slammed a handful of files in front of Hotch.

"Parkview Sanitarium has a current patient named Jennifer Jareau who coincidentally was 'transfered' from Cambridge the same week that JJ supposedly left." Garcia informed. "Its her."

"Garcia--" Emily began, sure that this couldn't really be the case.

"Look, I'll make you all a deal. Its only twenty minutes away, if you go there and I'm wrong, then I will never make another peep about JJ. You won't hear one more word from me about it. But if you care about me, more importantly, if you ever at one point cared about JJ, you'll just check it out."

"You're sure its her?" Rossi asked skeptically, breaking the uncomfortable silence that had settled.

"I'm positive." Garcia promised.

Silence permeated the BAU Conference Room as each team member contemplated their own willingness to continue to look for their friend. Finally, Rossi spoke first. "I'm in. I say we go. What can it hurt?"

"It can hurt a whole hell of a lot." Morgan said gruffly. "But if that's what you want to do Baby Girl, I'll do it. But if it's not her, we're done. You aren't looking anymore. Deal?"

"Fine." Garcia said, having no intention of ever giving up on her friend.

"She left us." Reid said, not understanding how everyone else could so quickly decide to continue looking for JJ. "Why--"

"Oh, stuff it Genius Boy." Garcia said, uncharacteristically blunt with the genius. "She didn't leave us. I know it. Please."

"Fine. But just for you Garcia." Reid huffed.

"I'm going on the record as saying that I think this is ridiculous. But if the whole unit is going, I don't have a choice." Emily said. She had never been able to get over the fact that JJ could just abandon her son and the rest of the team. JJ had an opportunity to be a mother, and she gave it up. But Emily Prentiss would always be loyal to her team.

"Hotch?" Garcia asked, holding her breath as if the entire world hinged on his one single affirmation.

"Let's check it out." He agreed.

* * *

"Dr. Painter." Hotch said, flashing the badge as the team filed into Parkview Sanitarium. "We need to ask you some questions..."

"Concerning Jennifer Jareau." She whispered knowingly. "Come with me."

* * *

"Come with me." Beth ordered firmly, shoving JJ awake from her noon time nap. "Get up and come with me."

"I can't." JJ whispered, eyeing her restraints that tied her tightly to the bed.

Beth quickly undid them, grabbing the blonde woman's arm and tried to force her to her feet, causing JJ to stumble to the ground. "Come on you stupid bitch. You've ruined everything, you know that right? You ruined everything!" She said forcefully in JJ's ear. "You just couldn't let me have it, could you? You wouldn't just let go!"

"What?" JJ asked raspilly, grunting as Beth kicked her leg.

"Don't play that innocent, doe eyed routine with me you whore! I invented the damn thing. Even your friends believed me." Beth shouted as she had to drag JJ from her own room. "You couldn't just forget them, you had to go and insist that they were real. No one was ever going to know and you had to ruin it! You selfish slut, you should have done what was best for your child and just forgot. Instead you got Leo to look into it, which led his little mindless puppy Daniel on the tirade. Hell, even Laura knows now, and--Oh get up!" She shirked JJ to her feet.

"You--" JJ began accusingly, but the haze of the drugs made it hard to formulate all that was coming to light. Her mind wasn't making the connections as quickly as she knew it should, but it felt as though someone was talking to her while she was underwater. Hard to distinguish and distorted.

"Everything I have is about to crumble, but I can stop it. All I have to do is get rid of you." Beth cut her off, shoving the blonde into the Pharmaceutical closet. Grabbing a handful of medications, Beth practically shoved them down JJ's throat. "Take your medicine." Beth instructed coldly.

"No--" JJ groaned, not having the energy to fight off the current attack.

Beth slapped her hand over JJ's mouth. "Swallow. Now." She ordered seriously.

"I--" JJ began but Beth shoved her violently into a cabinet, watching as the woman fell to the ground.

"It was mine!" Beth shrieked shrilly. "It has always been mine! It should have been mine! Will loves me! Henry loves me! Your friends love me! It was rightfully mine, but you--you stupid slut--you had it all! Why are going to ruin all of this! No one was going to know and then you--You ruined it. But you won't ever again." Beth said coolly, seeing a small box full of straight jackets and other restraints, grabbing one of the devices, she quickly placed it over the weak blonde. "Whose in control now?"

"No--" JJ whispered, her conciousness fleeting as the medications began to react.

Beth turned victoriously to JJ, grabbing a fistful of JJ's blonde hair and pulling it. "You never deserved any of it! Never--" But Beth's awful dialogue was interrupted by the stifled cries as the door opened.

"Beth!" Laura shouted, having nearly had a heart attack when they had seen JJ's empty room. "What are you doing?"

"Beth." Emily and Reid muttered in contempt, looking at each other with the guilt that they had been wrong. They should have seen past it. But their guilty consciences could wait while they saved the friend that they should have been more loyal.

"JJ." Garcia sighed, her eyes wide with the torture that she was witnessing.

"She tried to get away." Beth lied, patting down a fly away hair as the gun clad Agents stared down at their friend who was lying in a heap. "I came in here and she--I had to protect her from herself."

"Beth." Laura said evenly. "Get the hell away from her."

"She's sick Laura." Beth shouted. "She is sick! This is for her own good! Her own good damn it! Its for everyone's own good."

"How could you?" Laura whispered, watching as Morgan grabbed Beth's arm firmly and pulled her out of the room.

"What have we done?" Emily whispered to herself. "What have _I _done?"

"JJ." Garcia rushed to her friend's side, watching as consciousness slipped through her friend's eyes. "Sweetie, I am here now. I'm here. I never stopped looking..."

"So tired." JJ moaned finally, her head dropping as she faded into a numb sleep.

"She's going to need a doctor. Let's get her out of this." Laura said firmly as she undid the straps along JJ's back, hoping that redemption was possible for all the things she let--Hell, the things she _did _to this woman. "And she is going to need Leo and Daniel, without them, your friend may have actually lost her mind."

"JJ, I'm so sorry." Reid muttered to himself, knowing that there was no recompense for turning his back on her. "I am so sorry."


	9. Chapter 9

**_AN/So, I struggled writing this chapter. I wanted the team to get at least SOME of their come-uppance, but it just didn't seem to come out the way I wanted it to. Let me know what you think._**

* * *

"Laura, the ambulance is here." An orderly informed, accompanied by two paramedics.

"What do we have here?" One of the medics, asked to no one in particular as the other rushed to check JJ's vitals.

"I have no idea what she's been given." Laura admitted. "She's been incorrectly medicated for months."

Getting JJ on the gourney and rushing out of the hospital, the paramedics looked to the group who was following beside them. "We have room that one of you can ride with us. The rest can follow behind and meet us at GW Central--"

"I'll ride with you." Garcia announced, daring anyone to contradict her tone of authority.

The commotion seemed to wake JJ from the stupor that she had fallen into. Looking around in horror, she shrank back against the gurney. "No." She almost whispered. "You're not real. None of you. You're not real." She attempted to console herself.

"Shhh, buttercup. It doesn't matter. We're going to the hospital." Garcia said soothingly.

"Not real." JJ repeated as she slipped back into unconsciousness.

"Get her to the hospital." Laura informed the medics seriously. Who knew what damage was being done to this woman every minute?

* * *

Dr. Daniel Parker rushed into the hospital room still panting for breath. After trying in vain to call the FBI offices, one of the orderlies at the hospital called him to let him know that JJ had been rescued. Rescued from the hell that _he_ had assisted in keeping her captive. The truth was almost painful, but that didn't matter now.

He was surprised to find a lone woman at the bedside of the blonde. She chuckled at his dishevled appearance and motioned to another available chair. "I would ask which white knight is here to rescue my damsle in distress but that can wait 'til later."

"How is she?" Daniel asked, ignoring the comment.

The woman sighed, "They pumped her stomach to get the drugs out of her system. She's been in and out for a while."

"When did they bring her in?" He asked, tormented that it had taken him almost a day to discover which hospital they had taken her to.

"Who are you?" Daniel took his first look at the ecclectic woman at JJ's bedside and instantly knew the answer.

"Penelope--"

"Garcia." They both finished the statement at the same time. Daniel offered a small smile, "She told me a lot about you."

"You're her psychiatrist guy?" Garcia asked.

Daniel nodded slightly. "I didn't know--if I had known, I could have stopped it--I just, I--"

"I know." Garcia said lamely. "But I never stopped looking for her."

Suddenly, it dawned on Daniel that they were the only ones in the room. "I thought there were a lot of other people that would be here." He said.

Garcia suddenly couldn't meet his eyes. "They took Will and Beth into custody. Will told us everything."

"I just can't understand--" Daniel's question was interrupted as the hospital room door burst open again, this time, an older gentleman wheeled himself in. "Leo?" Daniel asked in shock.

"Once I heard that my favorite patient was in the same hospital, three floors down, they couldn't stop me." Leo admitted, a mischievious gleam in his eyes. "You were saying something Daniel, what can't you understand?"

"I can't understand why someone would do this." He said softly, looking at the destroyed woman sleeping on the hospital bed.

"Beth was a disturbed woman." Leo said, shrugging slightly. "I gather that she wanted to steal poor JJ's life, and nearly succeeded. Like a military coup, often the tide of the battle depends on just a few good men for truth and justice to prevail."

"But how could they have done this?" Garcia asked, casting an accusing eye to the medical professionals in front of her. "Didn't you all notice that she wasn't as Cookoo as her Cocoa Puffs?"

"Beth was ingenious in her plan." Leo explained, "As administrator over new patients, no one would think to question whether a patient was clinically in need of assistance. By having her boyfriend sign her into the medical facility, they legally met all of the requirements for admission. There wasn't any need to check the backstory."

"So, what does that mean?" Garcia prodded him.

"Well, you are the law enforcement professional, so I would have to defer to those you work with, but I believe that sadly it means that the only laws that were broken were unlawful imprisonment and forging of a medical history." He said sadly.

"So they're just going to get away with it?" Daniel asked in horror.

"It depends what you mean by 'getting away with it'," Leo continued as he wheeled his chair next to the sleeping blonde. "Beth will never practice medicine again. JJ will likely obtain full custody of her son--hopefully your friends" He looked directly at Garcia "are good enough to find something that they've done wrong and allow them to spend some lengthy time in prison."

"I can't believe you all just let this happen." Garcia accused angrily.

"_Us_ let this happen?" Daniel turned on the woman quickly. "What about you? It's been _six months!_ Why weren't you looking for her?"

"I was!" Garcia spat. "It's not like I had any help, though." She grumbled.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Daniel questioned angrily.

"It means, Dear Dr. Parker, that our friend Beth's form of debauchery knew no ends." Leo interceeded, cutting off the argument. "If my suspicions are correct, she wasn't content with just obtaining Dear JJ's son and boyfriend, she managed to integrate herself into the lives of JJ's most trusted friends."

Garcia nodded sadly, confirming the truth of Leo's words.

"You mean to tell me that those people that she _repeatedly_ defended to me, you mean to tell me that they were _friends_ with the monsters that did this to her?" Daniel asked in disbelief.

"Aren't _you_ the monster that did this to her?" Garcia retorted, defending her colleagues though she had similar feelings herself.

"Unfortunately, Miss Penelope," Leo began, "we were misinformed. In attempting to help your friend, we hurt her--and the blame should be shared by us all. However, we all are victims of the crimes of Dr. Douglas and Mr. LaMontagne."

JJ stirred suddenly. As she opened her eyes, a momentary panic filled them at the sight of Garcia by her bedside. Apparently Garcia had become accustomed to this, because she simply grabbed the hand of her friend and held it tightly.

"Dr. Parker?" She asked foggily.

"I heard they brought you here." He said lamely.

"Oh no. Not you too." JJ moaned as she looked over to see Leo sitting in the wheelchair next to her.

"I must say, I have been greeted with more gusto, but I have also been told worse things." Leo said, smirking slightly.

"Dr. Parker, they're not real." JJ said in a soft voice. "You're not real. It's not real."

"JJ, I know this doesn't make much sense, but they _are_ real." Daniel said encouragingly, trying to explain. "Delusions are different from reality because of the basis of their formation--"

"No." JJ shook her head in all seriousness, interrupting his explanation. "They can't be real."

"Jayje, it's ok. We're here." Garcia reassured as she brushed away a stray strand of hair from JJ's eyes.

"No." JJ said more emphatically. "You're not real."

"Now Miss Jareau," Leo began. "Which is more comforting to you right now. That we exist? Or that we are a fabrication?"

JJ sat silently for a moment, trying to contemplate his question, but as an effect of the drugs had trouble focusing on the introspective question. "I don't know." She said simply.

"Then its decided. It doesn't matter if we are real or not. We're here for you." He concluded, "No matter the truth or accuracy of the statement, it is the way that it is. So accept it."

"Okay." JJ said, visibly calming as she seemingly accepted his explanation.

"So where are the rest of them?" Daniel asked in a hushed whisper. "Why aren't they here now?"

"I'm afraid Dr. Parker, that those whom JJ trusted now feel unworthy of her loyalty." Leo observed, he quickly checked on the blonde who seemed to be eyeing each of them warily. He then continued. "But I do believe they are close by. In my haste to sneak into this room unnoticed, I believe I passed them in the waiting room."

"Well they _don't_ deserve her loyalty. I think I'd like to share a word with them." Daniel said angrily as he bolted from the room. JJ deserved better treatment than this.

* * *

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Daniel bellowed as soon as he spotted the rest of the team sitting in the waiting area. "Why aren't your sorry asses in that room, comforting your friend?"

"She probably doesn't want to see--" Emily began delicately, but Daniel cut her off with a sharp glare of rage.

"The poor thing _shouldn't _ want to see you." Daniel shouted. "And hell, she doesn't want to see you because now she thinks you all are part of her psychotic delusions, because none of you could be bothered to look for her."

No one moved to speak, causing Daniel to continue his vicious assault.

"Here is what we are going to do, because JJ deserves more than this. She never gave up on you--not any of you--not even when you were befriending the very people who did this to her." He added snidely, glancing over to Emily who lowered her head in shame. "You're all going to march you pathetic asses into that damn room, I don't care whether you feel guilty or you have some moronic blame the vicitm complex, you get in there. And then you act like the type of friends she deserves, because when she considered you all family, she deserves a whole hell of a lot more than what you are showing to me. If you had any idea the loyalty she showed you, you would be ashamed; but its time you start acting like human beings who might someday deserve a friend like her."

They all looked to the floor, eyes shifting to one another, trying to decided which one should speak first. Emily was the first to do anything. She had taken Laura's testimony, if Laura thought there was some redemption for her, then maybe there could be some for utter betrayl. She stood up and walked slowly to the door of JJ's room, with Reid right at her heels. The rest of the team followed suit, knowing that while it would be a long time before they could ever truly make up for this; this was a good place to start.

She inched the door open, watching as the blonde she used to know's eyes filled with panic.

"No." JJ covered her eyes with her hands, "The aren't real--" Her breathing grew rapid and sporadic, causing her to lose her words. "Not real, they aren't--"

Leo began to soothe her. "It's alright JJ. We're here for you."

"They aren't real!" JJ shouted. "They can't be real."

"JJ, we've had this conversation already." Leo said softly. "Do you feel at ease knowing that they are here? Delusion or not?"

"Yes." She answered meekly, almost like a child would answer to a parent.

"Then allow yourself this. Allow yourself a few moments of happiness. Just let the line be blurred for a little while." He commanded as she followed his instructions. "Allow yourself a few moments in a world that isn't black or white."

JJ nodded slowly, looking at Daniel for relief. "I'm here JJ, you're going to be fine." He promised, staring down the team as Emily walked up to the now weakened blonde.

"Hi Jayje," She said tentatively, biting her lip in agony.

"Hi Emily." She sighed, looking at Leo for confirmation. Leo nodded happily and JJ visibly relaxed.

Daniel stood protectively, making sure that Emily didn't do anything that could cause JJ offense. These people had hurt her before, and he was not about to let it happen again. If he had to play the role of protector, then he was more than willing.

Leo, seeing Daniel's protective stance, quickly intervened, "Parker, go." He ordered. "You could use some coffee."

"Not until--" He began but Leo looked at him evenly.

"Daniel, sometimes the hardest lesson in our lives is to let go. You need to let go." He said, cutting off all room for argument.

"What? No metaphor?" Daniel teased defensively, looking for any vestiges of remorse from JJ's supposed friends.

"The cub cannot reunite with its mother when a cougar is watching." Leo said appeasingly.

"Meaning?" Daniel inquired.

"It makes reunions difficult when you look like you plan on gouging their eyes out." Leo informed softly, not caring that the entire team could hear him. "Go."

"Fine." He relented, eyeing Morgan in disgust before finally stepping out of the room.

The occupants of the small hospital room sat in an uncomfortable silence for a few moments before Reid finally broke the silence. "JJ, I--I'm not sure how to say this--" He stuttered, searching for any facts or figures that could calm his tortured conscience.

"We're so sorry that this happened to you." Garcia offered, attempting to amend the chasm that had been created as a result of Beth and Will's devious plot.

"Yeah." Reid aggreed, grateful for Garcia's assistance.

"Is it over?" JJ asked weakly, her question cutting the hearts of the profilers that had only begrudgingly come to her aid.

"It's over." Hotch affirmed, his own conscience racked with guilt. He should have been able to protect JJ. They all should have seen it coming.

"Why? Why did they do this?" JJ asked, foggily remembereing moments of Beth's revelation the previous day.

"We don't know." Rossi said, his voice dripping with fatherly concern for the woman that they all should have trusted a little bit more.

Emily stared in horror at the friend that had lost so much because of the actions of someone else. Hopefully, they could make him pay. Truthfully, she wondered if it would have been better had they just killed her friend. But the truth was, they had done something far more sinister. They had stolen her innocence, decimated her mind, and annihalated her sanity. The level of their betrayal had been far greater than she had conceived, and Emily couldn't help but feel the accountability for JJ's imprisonment lie straightly on her shoulders. She had spent _time_ with Beth. She had even grown to _like_ Beth. But it was all a lie. And if only Emily had trusted her friend more, been a little more committed, then JJ wouldn't have been subjected to Beth's tyrannical imprisonment for as long as she had.

"JJ, I'm so sorry." Emily stated, fighting to control and hide her emotions. She vowed at that moment that regardless of the future, she would be there to support JJ in whatever she needed. She would be the friend that JJ deserved.

"Why?" JJ asked softly as she drifted off to sleep. The simple question far more cutting than any acusation. JJ had expected that her friends would come and find her. She had expected that they would never stop searching. But they gave up.

Each of the profilers looked at each other with a measure of gravity as they watched the blonde fall back asleep. No amount of apologizing could make up for what they had done. Or rather, what they had failed to do.

But it was enough for now. It was enough that they were there. And hopefully, they could spend the rest of their lives attempting to make amends to the friend that they all thought of as a sister. Because she deserved far more than what they had given her.


	10. Chapter 10

**_AN/I apologize for the delay, and the only excuse I have was that this was incredibly difficult to write. I know this may unnerve many of you, but this is likely the last chapter of this story. It doesn't NECESSARILY have a non-happy ending, but I felt that any other way would belittle the story. Please let me know what you thought, or any suggestions--if you have a better idea of how this story should end, let me know...I could be swayed to have it end another way._**

* * *

"How could this have happened?" Emily asked to no one in particular, interrupting the silence as the occupants of the small hospital room watched the sleeping blonde intently.

"Emily, it's not your fault." Rossi began wisely, only to have Reid snort with disdain.

"Not her fault? Of course its her fault. If Emily hadn't--"

"Reid!" Morgan stopped the genius whose voice was filled with venom.

"It's true!" Emily agreed, not willing to take the coddling the other members of the team were willing to give her. "If I hadn't been so hurt that JJ had abandoned us, I would have seen through the ruse that Beth and Will shared. I spent almost every day over at their house for months. I even _hung out_ with Beth--I wanted her to feel like she belonged."

The words hung limply in the air as each team member contemplated the depth with which JJ had been betrayed. "She wanted it that way. Sometimes we make mistakes. We're not perfect." Hotch said softly, his comforting words belittled by the character behind the person saying it. Hotch _didn't_ make mistakes. And the unspoken words that Emily added herself _"But none of the rest of us would have made that mistake" _only added to her guilt.

"Hotch is right." Morgan agreed. "We messed up, but its not our fault."

"Not our fault?" Garcia asked incredulously, turning on her friends more rapidly than a Mexican hat dance. "Then whose fault is it, if not ours? JJ's? I don't think so."

"I wasn't saying--" Morgan tried to clarify, only to be cut off by Reid's rant.

"No, we failed her. _I _ failed her. We abandoned her." Reid sided with Garcia, full of self loathing for how easily he had given up on his close friend--the mother of his godson.

"She's the one who fell in love with a sociopath!" Morgan retorted quickly, immediately regretting his words as the sleeping blonde stirred from her semi-medicated slumber.

"Stop it. All of you." Rossi commanded with authority. "This isn't doing any good."

"I must agree." Leo affirmed, unwilling to absolve JJ's friends of their guilt, but knowing that it wouldn't do any good to have them continually berate themselves while their friend lay sleeping in a fractured mental state. "Now is not the time for you to argue amongst yourselves. JJ will need your assistance as she continues along in her recovery. It will be a long road uncharted road that few have successfully charted."

"Recovery?" Emily asked in a small voice. The magnitude of the situation continually worsening with each revelation. She barely registered the nurse that entered to check JJ's vitals.

"Recovery." Leo reaffirmed. "Unfortunately, Miss Jareau was given--"

"What are you doing in here?" The nurse interrupted, horrified as she saw the man who was still recovering from a heart attack having snuck out of his hospital room and now hovering over another patient.

"Alas, I'm afraid our visit must be cut short." Leo smiled apologetically as the nurse gruffly grabbed his wheelchair to escort him back to his own room.

"I'm sorry." The nurse apologized to the room full of people and looked down at her charge scolding, "Dr. Scott, we've _had_ this discussion multiple times. You just had triple bypass surgery. You need to be _resting."_

"I bid you all adeiu." Leo smiled happily over his shoulder as the nurse pushed him out of the room and past Daniel who had been just about to enter the room with coffee in hand.

"I'm not even going to ask." Daniel muttered, momentarily indecisive as to whether he should follow his mentor or stay with his charge. Deciding upon the latter, he strode into the room with authority and looked at the others with disgust. "So, she's sleeping now?" He asked to no one in particular.

"What was Leo talking about?" Garcia turned to the young psychiatrist. "JJ needs to recover? I thought that once the drugs were out of her system, that everything could go back to normal."

Daniel cringed at having to deliver another blow to the group that stood huddled by the blonde's bedside. "I'm not her doctor here, so it would be unethical--"

"Screw unethical." Emily interrupted. "What did he mean that 'few had successfully charted' or whatever he said?"

Daniel sighed, "Unfortunately, JJ was given a lot of various treatments in her stay at the hospital. Mental illness is very treatable with medication--but for a healthy mind, these chemicals can wreck havoc."

"What does that mean?" Hotch asked immediately.

"She may very well need to be on medication for the rest of her life. She may now be completely unstable, even with pharmaceutical intervention. Only time can tell."

"So since she was locked away in Timbuktu, now she might _need_ all of that stuff you _accidentally_ gave her before?" Garcia asked incredulously.

"It's possible." Reid answered before Daniel could, the psychiatrist simply nodding in agreement.

All eyes settled on the woman that had been through so much. They could have stopped her torture. They could have helped her. But each one of them had failed her. Each one of them had given up too easily. Each one of them, except Garcia.

Garcia fought the tears that threatened to fall from her eyes as she grabbed the sleeping blonde's hand. Will had betrayed her. Beth had attempted to destroy her. But nothing could happen to make Garcia give up on their friendship. Whatever JJ needed, Garcia silently vowed, she would be there.

* * *

**_AN/The end. (I think)_**

* * *


End file.
